Apparatus for straining liquids.



J. F. FITCH & F. C. STEPHENS.

APPARATUS Foa sTRAlNING LlQulDS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 4. |914.

Patented Aug'. 7, 1917.

TSHEETS SHEET I.

J. F. FITCIH F. C. STEPHENS.

APPARATUS FoR STRAINING LlQulDs.

APPLICATION FILED APR'. 4. |914.

Patented Aug'. T, 1917.

zsHEETs-SHEET 2.v

I. F. FITCH & F. C. STEPHENS. APPARATUS FOR STRAINING LIQU'IDS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 4. 1914.

I Patented Ang. 7, 1917.

TSHEETS-SHEET 3.

7?/ im. #Iyar/754.9.

I.. F. FITCH IL F. c.. STEPHENS.'

A PPARATUS FOR STRAINING LIQUJDS. APPLICATION FILED APR. 4. I9I4.

1,235,672. `llfenced Aug. 7,1917.

SHEETS-SHEET 4.

fm/enfans 1. F. FITCH L F. c. STEPHENS.

APPARATUS FOR STRAINING LIQUIDS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 4. I-9I4.

Patented Aug. '7, 1917.

1,235,672 I lsHEETs-SHEET 5 AUI IIIIIII IIIlI '1. F. FITCH & F. C. STEPHENS.

APPARATUS FOR sRAINlNG LlQulDs.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 4. I9I4. l Patented Aug. 7, 1917.

ISHEETSMSHEET 6.

eef/wm fw.

1'. F. FITCH @L F. C. STEPHENS. APPARATUS FOR VSTRAINING LIQUIDS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 4. i914.

Patented Aug. 7, 1917.

'ED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN F. FITC AND FLoYD c. STEPHENS, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, AssIGNons To RUDOLPH A. WITTEMANN, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

APPARATUS FOR'STRAINING LIQUIDS.

l Specification of Letters Patent. v

Patented Aug. 7, 1917.l

.Application filed April 4, 1914. serial No. 829,486.

FLOYD C. STEPHENS, citizens of the United.

I States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erle and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement iny Apparatus for Strainin Liquids, of which the following is a speci cation.

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for straining liquids or removin solid or semi-solid particles therefrom, an more particularly to straining the hops from the Wort in the process of brewing beer.

During the process of brewing beer, the hops are allowed to remain in the hot wort for a limited period of time, during which time certain of the more readily soluble resins are dissolved in the wort to give the beer an agreeable bitter taste. If the hops remain in the wort too long, some ofthe less soluble resins are also dissolved and render the beer objectionably bitter. It -is therefore desirable to provide-means forl quickly. removing the hops from the-wort after they `have been in the -liquidA for the desired length of time. In strainers as heretofore made,.the -hop leaves are not removed from the strainer -until the entire chargeof wort has passed through'the strainer, so that some of the hop leaves which are rst to enter the strainer, 4are Washed by all- Vthe Wortl which passes through the strainer, thus washing or dissolving out of these leaves much of th objectionable resins. These strainers also greatly retard the flow of wort after the openings in the strainers become more or less clogged up by the hop leaves.

The objects of the invention are to provide an apparatus adapted .to removethe solid matter from the strainer during the straining of the liquid or wort, to rinse or sparge the solid matter to remove the wort therefrom; also Yto provide means .for ycompressing the solid matter when it is removed from 'the liquid to partially dry the same;

also to improve the construction ,of apparatus oflthis kind in specified. l

In the accompanying drawings, consisting of seven sheets:

Figure l is a side elevation of an appathe respects hereinafter l ratus embodying -the'invention Fig. 2 is a thereof. y

Fig. 3 is an end elevation thereof.

longitudinal sectional elevation i Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional elevation thereof, on line 4 4., Fig. 2.

F1g. 5 is a fragmentary transverse sectlonal elevation of the apparatus, on an enlarged scale on line 5 5, Fig. l, showing the means for compressing the solid matter and a transverse conveyer for feeding the solid matter tothe compressing means.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary 4sectional elevation showin the parts of the compressing means in di erent positions.

Fig 7 is a fragmentary side elevation of the compression means. F Fig. 8 is a sectional elevation on line 8 8,

Fig. 9 -is a fragmentary'elevation of one of the scrapers which remove the solid matbeer, and the liquid will hereinafter be referred to as wort, and the solid or semisolid material to be separated therefrom will be referred to as hops, but it is not intended thereby to limit the invention to the separating of hops from wort.

In the apparatus embodying the invention the wort is passed through a suitable strainer on which the hops are deposited and from which they are removed and taken out of the wort by continuously operating means, so that the perforations in the strainer are kept clear to permit the rapid flow of wort through the same, and the hopsr are quickly removed from the wort to prevent the dissolving in the .wort of the Ob- -jectionable resins contained in the hops.

into a waste pipe, as desired, and the hops after being compressed are suciently dry several sections and which is provided with.

to permit them to be burned or otherwise disposed of.

The straining apparatus is arranged within a suitable reservoir or tank A', which, in the construction shown, is substantially rectangular in shape and is provided with a suitable cover A which is hinged or otherwise removably secured on the tank so that it entirely incloses the same to prevent the escape ofsteam but it can be easily removed to render the inside of the tank readily accessible for cleaning. The liquid or wort is conducted to the tank through an inletv pipe a and is discharged from the tank through an outlet pipe a', preferably provided with a hand operated valve a2, Fig. 2.

B represents a strainer-which is arranged in the tank between, the inlet and outlet pipes and thus divides the tank into two parts, one of which contains liquid to be strained and the other of which contains they liquid which has passed through the strainer. The strainer preferably consists of a plate which may, if desired, consist of slots b extending lengthwise of the plate through which the liquid is adapted to flow. In the construction shown the strainer is arranged at an inclination so that the upper end thereof projects above'the level of the liquid in the tank and is supported by longitudinal and transverse bars b b2 which are suitably secured in the tank. This arrangement of the strainer in the tank makes it possible to secure a large straining surface below the level of the liquid in the tank and also permits some of the liquid to drain from the hops after they are removed out of the liquid onto the upper part of the strainer plate. Means are provided for continuously removing from the upper face of the strainer;

the hops which are v.deposited thereon as the wort flows through the perforations of the strainer, and for removing the hops from the wort. The means employed for this pur-l pose are preferably constructed as follows:

A pair of endless sprocket chains -C C passing around sprocket wheels c c are arranged inside of the tank at opposite sides thereof, the wheels being so arranged` as to permit the lower runs of the chains to pass near the upper face of the strainer. Scrapers are secured to the chains at intervals and are adapted to'pass upwardly over the strainer with the lower runs of the chains and to scrape the surface of the strainer and carry the hops upwardly on the strainer out of the wort. The Scrapers consist of blades D of more or less resilient material, spring copper being preferably used. These blades extend transversely of the machine and'are provided with a plurality of vertical slots forming fingers d d, the lower edges of which pass over the strainer. By providing pass through slots al4 in the scraper blades to permit the blades to be adjusted relatively to the strainer. Thus as the ends of the ingers d d become worn, the scraper blades can be adjusted relatively to the bars d to compensate for the wear. The supporting bars al vare secured at their ends tov the sprocket chains C Cf and are preferably T- shaped in cross section. rlhe chains are preferably provided at intervals with links having integral extensions d5 to which the ends of the supporting bars d are secured. Other means for adjustably securing the scraper plates to the chains may be employed if desired.

The lower runs of the chains rest on guide rails d6, Figs. 2, 4 and 9, secured to theJ sides of the tank. The supporting bars d', being rigidly secured to links of the chain, are .therefore also supported` by the guide rail in 4such a manner thatithe scraperl lingers d are relieved of the weight of the Scrapers.

As shown, the upper pair of sprocket wheels is secured on a shaft e journaled at its opposite ends in bearings E which are adjustably mounted on brackets e on the tank for regulating the tension of the chains. The lower pair of sprocket wheels is secured on a shaft e2 journaled in bearings e3 in the wall of the tank. A

1t is desirable to automatically regulate the levelof the wort in the tank. This is accomplished in the construction shown by means of a fiat valve consisting of a float F mounted on one arm of a lever f, Fig. 2, pivoted at f on the wort inlet pipe a, and a valve f4 which is secured to another arm f3 of the lever f and is adapted to open and close the end of the inlet pipe to regulate the iow -of wort into the tank. fThe discharge of wort from the tank is preferably so regulated by means of th'e valve a2 that the difference in level of the wort at opposite sides of the strainer is slight, so that the suction at each of the slots or openings in the strainer caused by the flow of wort from wort in the lower part of the tank. The

G represents a valve which-ma); be opened -when the apparatus is being' .cleaned .fory

-sirable resins in the wort while the wort is being strained, and the time lrequired to strain a quantity of wort is greatly reduced since the holes in the strainer are`not allowed to become clogged by the hop leaves,

The scrapers in traveling upwardly over the' strainer scrape .the hops upwardly on the strainer and as the same pass out ofthe` wort, to the upper part of the strainer, a part of the wort drains olf through the strainer. rIhe hops are delivered from the upper end of the strainer into a perforated straining trough I-I which is arranged transversely of the tank, preferably in an ofl'set portion 71. of the tank. -In the construction shown in Figs. 1-6, the hops in the trough H are washed by means of jets of water, which issue from a sparge pipe I. extending lengthwise` o f the trough. The wort washed out ofthe hops, together with the sparge water are then strained through the perforations in the trough and mix with-the v trough, .as shown,.is supported inthe offset l such as a screw conveyer, whichfeeds theportion of the tank upon ,suitable standards t or supports h2.

The hops in the trough I-I are-v moved4 lengthwise therein by any suitable means,

hops into a compression chamber, where they are compressed by the conveyer and auton'iatically discharged from themachine.

The conveyer is preferably made in iights -or sections I I I2, mounted to rotate about a common axis to enable the conveyer to be readily removed from the apparatus. Each of these sections comprises a sleeve portion and a spiral portion the outer edges of which are adapted to engage the lower por- -tion of the trough to wardly therein.- The conveyer sections are all mounted on a shaft 2,- preferably made through the sleeves of t hollow, which extends the sections. v l

The conveyer sections are connected so as 3 on the ends of the sleeve portions z' ofthe sections.` The intermediate sections I of the conveyer are provided with shoulders at both ends, but the 'section I2 is provided with shoulders only at the inner end to receive .power fromv the preceding section. The pitch of the spiral portion of this last section is less than that of the other sections in order to enablethis section to exert greater pressure upon the hops in the comeedv the hops for-y Y ratus when the head is in its outer as shownv in Fig. 6.`

pression chamber. The first section I of the I conveyer receives its power from a stud shaft K mounted onA the side of the tank, a l I shouldered end k2 adapted to engage with the shoulders 3 of the sleeve 'of the firstv sec-v tion of the conveyer. ,The shaft 2 on which the conveyer sections are molmted serves to aline the sections and is not depended upon to transmit power from the stud'shaft Kto the conveyer sections. The sections are, however, preferably secured to the shaft by set screws 4, which hold the sections in place on the shaft. The shaft 2 is centered relatively to thestud vs haft K by `a. centeringv stud 7c3 secured on' the stud shaft and entering into theend of the hollow shaft 2. The centering stud has a threaded shank screwed into a threaded hole in thestud shaft K, so that the centering stud can be readily re- I moved "ifnecessary i v The hops are fed by the conveyer from the trough into .a compression chamber consistingof a perforated cylinder L mounted in a suitable frame`or.casing L secured to the side of the tank.-v The outer end of the compression cylinder is closed bymeans of a movable head or end.- wall M which is yieldingly held against the end of the .cyl-

`inder and is adapted to be moved outwardly away from the end of the' Vcylinder by the 'ing into the tank A or to a waste pipe'Z2. In

theconstruction shown, the iow .0f liquid in the pipes-Z and' Z2 is controlledv by meansl of valves Z3 and Z4. 1 j

' 'Ihe movable head M, in the construction shown, is slidably arranged on the conveyer shaft 2 and on a sleeve lm, secured to the last conveyer section. The `-head is preferably made with,v its inneriface flaring out-- wardly so that the hops on being pressed out of the com ression cylinder-A will be forcedout. radial y with regard to the conveyer shaft and discharged from the appaposition,

Any suitable .means may be employedfor yieldingly pressingV the cylinderhead toward the cylinder,.those shown in the drawings comprisinga lever N, pivoted at n in a bracket N secured on the cylinder casing and vwhich also supports a bearing for `the end of the lconveyer shaft. The lever N has a bifurcated arm engaging the cylinder head M, and an arm on which a weight n is adjustably secured. The weight tends to swing the lever in a direction to move the cylinder head M toward the cylinder, and by adjusting the position of the weight on the lever the pressure which is exerted by the lever on the cylinder head can be varied as desired. v Y

Means of suitable construction can be provided for facilitating the cleaning of the compression chamber after the operation of straining the wort has been completed. For this purpose, the last conveyer flight or sec- Ition I2 is arranged to be moved out ofthe compression cylinder to discharge the compressed hops therefrom. To permit this to be done, a shaft O is slidably arranged within the hollow conveyer shaft i2 and projects beyond the end thereof. This shaft is rigidly connected with the conveyer'section I2 by a key 0, extending through a slot o" in the hollow lshaft 2. By this arrangement the shaft 0, the conveyer shaft 2 and the -conveyer section will all rotate together, but the conveyer section and the shaft O are adapted to be moved outwardly with regard to the conveyer shaft, by drawin theshaft 0 out of the hollow shaft 2. Tis may be accomplished by the following means:

The end of the shaft O is screwthreaded and adapted to engage with a corresponding internally threaded nut P. During the operation of the apparatus, the nut turns with the shaft, but if it is desired to draw the conveyer section I2 out of the compres-l sion cylinder, the nut can be held from rotation on the conveyer shaft, in which case the screwthreaded portion of the shaft 0 turning in the nut, will draw the section 12 of the conveyer out of the compression cylinder. For this purpose, in the construction shown, the nut l? is provided withv a projection or shoulder p which is adapted to be engaged by a locking dog p pivoted at p2 on the bracket N. This dog hasa finger p3 `which swings into 4the path of movement of the projection p lon the nut when the, dog is swung on its pivot into the position shown in Fig. 7, and stops the rotation of the nut with the conveyer shaft. The conveyer shaft is held'against endwise movement with the inner shaft O by a thrust bearing p4. p5 represents a nut secured at the outer end of the. shaft O and which acts as a stop to-limit the outward movement of the nut l) on the shaft. i v

The cleaning of the compression cylinder L and the conveyer section located vwithin this cylinder can be further facilitated, if desired, by providing theframe or casing L inclosing the compression cylinder with side walls, adapted to move out of their operative positions to afford access to the interior thereof, and by constructing lthecompression cylinder in sections or parts adapted to be removed from the frame of casingv L. For this purpose, the sides R R of the casing L shown are pivoted by hinges 1' arranged at the upper portion of the frame. The sides are adapted to be held in their operative positions by means of thumb screws r engaging on stud bolts r2 pivoted on the casing L and adapted to enter into slots in the sides R of the casing. The compression cylinder L shown is di .vided lengthwise into two parts which-are be removed through each side of the casing.

The conveyer in the trough H' and the scraper for the inclined strainer may be driven .in any suitable manner. In the construction shown, power is transmitted to the conveyer by a sprocket chain S engaging with-a sprocket wheel s on the stud shaft K of the conveyer. Movement is imparted to the chain by any suitable means, for example, an electric motor s. A second sprcket chain s? connecting a sprocket wheel les' on the stud shaft K with asprocket wheel sL on theV shaft e drives the sprocket wheels c c and the chains C C which carry the Scrapers D. Any other suitable means may be employed for driving the movable parts of the apparatus.

1n some cases it is desired to drain and sparge the hops more thoroughly after they leave the strainer- B, than can be accomplished by means of the apparatus described. This could be accomplished by merely increasing the length of the trough H and causing the same to'extend any desired distance beyond the-side of the apparatus. 1n order, however, to economize in thev floor space occupied by the apparatus, the construction shown in Figs. 12 and 13 is preferably employed. ln thisconstruction a second troughvT is provided below the trough H in a tank or receptacle t arranged under the oset h of the tank A. The trough T 4is vconnected with the trough H by means of an upright passage,l formed in a casing t which is secured to the side of the apparatus. A conveyer t2 in the upper trough moves the material in the trough tov the casing t and causes the same to drop to the bottom of the casing, from where it is passed through the lower trough T by means of a conveyer t4. At the end ofthe lower trough is arranged a compression device U, similar to the .one hereinbefore described. A

veyer Z4 may be driven in any suitable man- I ner, for example, by means of a sprocket chain -157 engaging with sprocket wheels. t8 and t9 on the shaft'of the upper and lower conveyers.

The spar e water is preferably allowed to collect in t e tank t until the entire wort has been strained and is then drawn ofl:l through a pipe u. p

W and W represent gage glasses in the tanks A and t whereby the level of the liquid in the tanks can be determined.

' We claim as our invention:

1. The combination of a strainer for liquids, and a scraper adapted to pass over the surface ofthe strainer and consisting of a stri of resilient material provided with a plura ity of transversel slots dividing the lower edge of the strip into a plurality of re!- silient fingers which yield to conform with irregularities in the surface of the strainer.

2. The combination of a strainer for liquids, a scraper adapted to pass over the surface ofthe strainer and consisting of a strip of resilient material provided with a plurality of' transverse slots dividing the lower ed e of the strip'into a pluralityv of resilient ngers which yield to conform with irregularities in the surface of the strainer, and means for adjusting saidv strip relatively to the surface of the strainer. 4

3. The combination of a strainer for liquids, a scraper adapted to pass over the surface of said strainer and consisting of a strip of resilient material lprovided with a plurality of resilient fingers, a supporting member for said strip movable in proximity to said strainer, means for adjustably securing said strip to said supporting member to permit the adjustment of sa'd fingers relatively to said strainer, and eans for imparting movement to said supporting member for causing said scraper to travel over the surface of the strainer.

4. The combination of a strainer, endless traveling chains arranged at opposite sides of said strainer, cross bars extending across said strainer and connected at opposite ends to said chains, and a strip mounted on said bars and adjustable thereon toward and from said strainer, said strip having resilient ngers adapted to be passed lover the surface of said strainer in contact therewith by said chains.

5. The combination of a strainer, endless traveling chains arranged at opposite sides of said strainer, cross bars extending across to said chains, resilient fingers secured on said bars and adjustable thereon toward andA from saidstrainer and adapted to be. passed by said chains over. the surface ofsaid strainer in contact therewith, and supporting rails on which saidchains are supported said strainer and connected at opposite ends whereby the strainer is relieved of the weight ofthe chains and fingers.

6. In an apparatus for straining liquid containing non-liquid materials, the combination of a tank, liquid supply and discharge means arranged to maintain a body of liquid lin the tank,'a strainer in said tank atleast partly submerged in the liquid and through which the liquid flows, a straining trough arranged in operative relation to the strainer at one end of the strainer and in which the material is adaptedto Joe drained, and means moving the material lengthwise of the trough during the straining operation, said straining trough being arranged relative to said tank to cause the liquid drained from the material in said trough to be returned to the liquid strained in said tank.

7 In an apparatus for straining liquid i containing non-liquid materials, the combination of a tank, liquid supply and discharge means arranged to maintain a body of liquid .in the tank, an inclined strainer in 4said tankthrough which the liquid flows and the upper vend of which extends out of theI liquid, a straining trough arranged at the upper end of the strainer in operative relation thereto and to which the material is de-l livered from the strainer, movable means for. moving the material upwardlyon said strainer substantially continuously during the straining operation and delivering the sameinto the trough, means for moving the material lengthwise in said straining trough 'and Aout of said apparatus during the straining operation, and means for returning the liquid drained from the material in said trough'to the liquid strained in the'tank.

8. In an apparatus for straining liquid containing non-liquid materials, the combination of a tank, liquid supply and discharge means arranged to maintain a body of liquid in the tank, a strainer in said tank through which the liquid flows, means movable over the surface of said strainer to remove the material therefrom substantially continuously during the straining operation, a straining trough located out of the liquid and into which the 'material is delivered from the strainer, means for washing the material in said trough to remove therefrom the liquid remaining in the material, means for moving the material through said trough containing non-liquid materials, theA combination of a tank, liquid supply and discharge I' means arranged to maintain a body of liquid in the tank, a strainer in said trough through which the liquid Hows and the upper portion of which extends above the level of the liquid, a straining trough arranged out of lthe liquid and rin operative relation to the -upperend of said strainer; and to which the material is delivered from said strainer,

means movable over the surface of said strainer to remove the material therefrom substantially continuously during the straining operation and deliver the-same into said trough, means for moving the material through lsaid trough during the straining operation, means for washing the material in said trough to remove therefrom the liquid remaining in the material, said liquid being returned to said tank, and means for discharging the material from theapparatus and compressing the'material as it is being discharged to further remove liquid therefrom.

10. In an apparatus for straining liquid containing non-liquid material, the combination of a strainer consistingof a plate provided with a plurality of relatively long and mesma narrow perforations, and Scrapers passing over said strainer lengthwise of said perforations for removing from the strainer the material collected thereon.

11. ln an apparatus for straining liquid containing non-liquid material, the combination of a strainer consisting of a plate hav' ing a substantially flat face and provided with a plurality of relatively long and narrow perforations, and a scraper comprising a plurality of resilient fingers which pass over said flat face of the strainer substantially lengthwise of said perforations for removing from the strainerv the material colm lected thereon.

A12. In an apparatus for straining liquid containing non-liquid material, the combination of a strainer consisting of aplate having a substantially' flat face and provided with perforations, a scraper comprising a plurality of flat resilient fingers which pass over said lat face of the plate for 'removing from the strainer the material collected thereon, and means for moving said fingers over the said face of the strainer, said fingers being moved with their flat faces facing the direction of motion. L 1

Witness our hands, this 31st day of March,

, JUHN F. FTCH. e

. FLUYD C. STEPHENS.

Witnesses:

RUDOLF. BUECKING, LAURA M; UEBEIE. 

